UK Poaching Kiwi Social Workers

June 21 2006 - Commenting on reports that British organizations
are offering up to NZ$110,000 to attract social workers from New Zealand, National Party Welfare spokeswoman Judith Collins
says she fears many frontline social workers will be tempted by the offers of big pay
cheques in the UK and also Australia when the profession here is facing a staffing
crisis.

"Recently the Minister announced plans to recruit more social workers, but this overseas
recruitment campaign will make that big job even tougher," said Judith Collins.

"Labour's done little to make life easy for social workers. There is
uncertainty over the planned merger and CYF has a Minister who, when something goes wrong,
describes it as an operational issue and leaves social workers to carry the can.

"This environment simply isn't sustainable," she added.

"What has Ruth Dyson been doing with the massive funding increases at CYF
in recent years? Why hasn't more been spent on the frontline when social workers have
repeatedly pointed to obscene workloads and high stress?"

Judith Collins is also seeking clarification from Ruth Dyson as to whether
she plans to release a CYF-commissioned report on child homicides.

"She's saying it will be finished a year late, later this month. Will she
release it then and will it be sanitised?

And while Ms Dyson is at it, can she explain why groups that were supposed
to have taken part in the report have not been consulted?"